Gambler
Some kineticists focus their powers inward, rather than acting as a conduit for elemental energies drawn from the world around them. Gifted with a spark of psionic might, these people have a natural ability to contain their powers in ways that others cannot. By relying on a dangerous combination of luck and skill, these “gamblers,” as they are called, can harness the fluctuating power of the elements in a way that is at once safer and significantly more dangerous than a normal kineticist— to the eyes of others, a gambler will seem perfectly fine until she makes a single misstep and burns her mind to ash. Class Skills A gambler gains Autohypnosis, Bluff, and Sense Motive as class skills. Elemental Focus (Su) Unlike other kineticists, a gambler’s psionic abilities allow her to modulate her elemental powers freely. She gains gambler's blast ''as a bonus wild talent. At 7th level, she also gains ''crystalline needle blast, as normal for a kineticist with the psionic subtype. ---- GAMBLER’S BLAST Element 'see text; '''Type '''simple blast (Sp); '''Level '— 'Blast Type '''see text; '''Damage '''see text You fire a torrent of elemental power against a single opponent. When you use this blast, you can choose to either fire an energy blast or a physical blast. The blast deals damage of your active energy type, and its element is dependent on your active energy type (water for cold, fire for fire, air for electricity, and earth for sonic). ---- This ability alters and replaces elemental focus. A gambler uses the current element of her ''gambler’s ''blast ''for determining effects that rely on her primary elemental focus. '''Table: Gambler Powers Power Points/Day A gambler’s ability to manifest powers is limited by the power points she has available. Her base daily allotment of power points is given on Table: Gambler Powers. In addition, she receives bonus power points per day if she has a high Constitution score (see Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Power Points). Her race may also provide bonus power points per day, as may certain feats and items. Powers Known A gambler begins play knowing two gambler powers of her choice. Each time she achieves a new gambler level, she unlocks the knowledge of a new power. Choose the powers known from the gambler power list presented on page 35. (Exception: The feat Expanded Knowledge does allow a gambler to learn powers from the lists of other classes.) A gambler can manifest any power that has a power point cost equal to or lower than her manifester level. The total number of powers a gambler can manifest in a day is limited only by her daily power points. A gambler simply knows her powers; they are ingrained in her mind. She does not need to prepare them (in the way that some spellcasters prepare their spells), though she must get a good night’s sleep each day to regain all her spent power points. The Difficulty Class for saving throws against gambler powers is 10 + the power’s level + the gambler’s Constitution modifier. This ability replaces wild talents. A gambler cannot take the Augmented Elements or Extra Wild Talent feats, nor can she otherwise gain additional wild talents except for those noted in this archetype’s description. Maximum Power Level Known A gambler begins play with the ability to learn 1st-level powers. As she attains higher levels, she may gain the ability to master more complex powers, as shown Table 1–2: Gambler Powers. To learn or manifest a power, a gambler must have a Constitution score of at least 10 + the power’s level. Talents Gamblers learn minor powers they can use at-will to aid them in a variety of ways. At 1st level, a gambler gains two talents from the gambler talent list. Playing With Fire (Ex) A gambler has a small amount of control over her explosive psionic energies, allowing her to risk her future health in exchange for greater power in the present. Some of her class features allow her to accept burn in exchange for a greater effect, while others require her to accept a certain amount of burn to use that ability at all. Initially, burn does not affect a gambler, but any time she rolls a natural 1 on a saving throw or attack roll, she suffers a backlash, losing power points equal to her current amount of burn times her character level. If she would lose more power points than she has available, she takes the excess as damage that cannot be resisted or negated in any way. After suffering a backlash, the gambler’s current burn is reduced to 0. A gambler can accept only 1 point of burn per round. This limit increases by 1 point of burn at 3rd level and every three levels thereafter. A gambler cannot choose to accept burn if it would put her total number of points of burn higher than 3 + her Constitution modifier (though she can be forced to accept more burn from a source outside her control). A gambler’s current burn is reduced to 0 after a full night's rest. This ability replaces burn. Cash Out (Su) A gambler can convert any amount of her current burn into short-lived power points as a move action, gaining 2 power points for each point of burn converted. These power points can only be used to manifest gambler powers and activate gambler class features, and vanish after one round per gambler level. Power points gained with this ability do not stack with each other, and are not lost if the gambler suffers a backlash; instead, the gambler loses power points (and possibly hit points) as if she did not possess them. These power points cannot be used to manifest bestow power or any other power that grants the gambler or the target power points. Starting at 10th level, the gambler gains 3 power points for each point of burn converted, and at 20th level, she gains 4 power points for each point of burn converted. The gambler may not use this ability in the same turn that she has made a wager, nor may she make a wager in the same turn that she has cashed out. Cashing out creates an extremely loud, visible display in a 20-foot radius centered on the gambler, as her psionic energy swirls around her. This ability alters and replaces gather power and supercharge. Burning Wager (Su) At her core, a gambler is just that—her combat style often involves taking a high amount of calculated (or sometimes uncalculated) risks. Whether she burns brightly with the flames of victory or ends up as a smoldering corpse, the gambler’s nature is to leave her fate to luck, while cheating it with skill. A gambler begins play knowing the one wager of her choice. Some wagers require that the gambler accept burn in order to activate it, and others require that a gambler have a certain amount of burn already accepted. Any ability that would reduce the burn cost of a wild talent will also reduce the burn cost of a wager. Making a wager is a swift action unless otherwise noted. At 4th level and every four levels thereafter, the gambler selects an additional wager. This ability replaces infusions. ---- ANTE UP Burn '''1 or more (see text) This wager can only be made when the gambler’s current burn is 0. The gambler accepts an amount of burn up to the maximum she can gain each round. Each creature within 30 feet of the gambler (including the gambler herself) must succeed at a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the gambler’s class level + the gambler’s Constitution modifir) or take a penalty on attack rolls, skill checks, and saving throws for one round equal to the amount of burn the gambler chooses to accept with this ability. The penalty remains the same even if she reduces or increases the amount of burn gained using other class features, such as play the odds. ---- '''BLISTERING BLUFF Burn '''2 The gambler quickly gathers power, then hides it away from sight. As part of this wager, the gambler takes a full-round action to pretend to gather power, as if she were a normal kineticist. If she is attacked or otherwise disrupted while gathering power, she can fire a kinetic blast at her attacker as a free action, treating the target as flt-footed against this attack. If she successfully hits her target, she may reduce the burn cost of a wager she makes in the following round by 1. If her attack misses, she gains 1 point of burn instead. ---- '''DOUBLE OR NOTHING Burn '''1 Unlike a normal wager, this wager is made as a free action. The next kinetic blast the gambler makes this turn becomes a physical blast, and if she successfully hits her target, the blast automatically threatens a critical hit. If she misses her target, she suffers a backlash as if she had rolled a natural 1 on her attack. ---- '''ELEMENTAL ROULETTE Burn '1 per power level The gambler’s active energy type randomly changes to one of her available types (normally cold, electricity, fire, and sonic). In addition, she can manifest one of the following powers as if she had made the Raise the Stakes wager, even if she does not know that wager or the power in question. The amount of burn accepted when making this wager depends on the power chosen (minimum 1, even if she does not manifest the power), and the gambler pays power points as normal. If the gambler does not have a high enough manifester level to learn the power at the level given (see Table 2–2: Gambler Powers), she cannot choose that power. 1st—energy ray, 2nd—energy stun, 3rd—energy bolt, 4th—energy ball, 5th—energy current, 6th—disintegration.'' ---- '''RAISE THE STAKES Burn '1 + 1 per power level As part of making this wager, the gambler manifests a gambler power with a manifesting time of one standard action or less and a range greater than personal, paying power points as normal. The next time she hits with her ''gambler's blast ''this turn, that power also discharges against the creature she hit. If the power normally affects more than one initial target, it only affects the target of the ''gambler’s blast. If the power has secondary targets (such as energy ''current’s ''arcs of energy), these are affected as normal. If the power creates an area of effect, the target of the gambler’s blast is considered its center (for bursts, emanations, and spreads) or its origin point (for cones, lines, and other areas that must be aimed). A power that normally requires an attack roll (such as a ray or touch power) uses the ''gambler's blast's ''attack roll to determine whether or not it hits or critically hits. The target or other creatures caught in the power’s area of effect may make saving throws to resist the power as normal, if applicable. If the target has spell resistance or power resistance, the gambler only makes a single roll to overcome it for both her ''gambler's blast ''(if applicable) and the power. If the power has a duration of concentration, the gambler’s is treated as manifesting that power during the same action as her blast for the purposes of concentration, and she can continue concentrating as normal. If the gambler misses her attack or does not fire a ''gambler's blast ''this turn, the power is expended harmlessly without discharging (she still loses the power points). ---- '''SPELL TELL Burn '''1 After making this wager, the gambler can fire a kinetic blast in place of any attacks of opportunity she would make until the start of her next turn. In addition, any creature that casts a spell or manifests a power within 30 feet of the gambler before the start of her next turn provokes an attack of opportunity from her, even if they are casting or manifesting defensively. If the gambler does not make an attack of opportunity before her next turn, her powers and spells during that turn provoke attacks of opportunity from creatures that threaten her, even if she casts or manifests defensively. ---- '''Kinetic Blast (Sp) At 5th level and every five levels thereafter, a gambler’s kinetic blast’s range increases by 30 feet. For the purposes of countering spells and overcoming effects such as the globe of invulnerability spell, a gambler’s kinetic blast is considered to have an effective spell level of 1/2 her gambler level (minimum 1). The gambler's kinetic blasts use her manifester level for overcoming power and spell resistance. This ability alters kinetic blast. Know When to Fold Space (Su) At 2nd level, the gambler gains the ability to skillfully evade even the most deadly attacks. A number of times per day equal to 1 + her Constitution modifier (minimum 1), she can expend her psionic focus as an immediate action to teleport up to 10 feet + 5 feet per four gambler levels. The gambler must be able to see where she is teleporting to, and cannot teleport to a space occupied by another creature. If the gambler uses this ability in response to an attack or effect and teleports to a position where she could not be targeted (such as out of a melee attack’s reach, or into total cover), she evades the attack or effect entirely. This ability replaces elemental defense. Elemental Overflow (Ex) When a gambler uses her cash out class feature to reduce her burn to 0, the benefits she had gained from this ability persist for one round before vanishing. This ability alters elemental overflow, and otherwise functions as normal. Play the Odds (Ex) Starting at 5th level, whenever a gambler makes a wager, she can choose to reduce its burn cost by 1 (to a minimum of 0) or increase it by 1 (even above her normal maximum amount of burn accepted per round). At 8th level and again at 12th, 16th, and 20th levels, the amount of burn the gambler can reduce or increase the cost of a wager by increases by 1. This ability replaces infusion specialization, internal buffer, and composite specialization. Metapsionic Skill (Su) At 5th level and again at every four levels thereafter (9th, 13th, and 17th), a gambler gains a metapsionic feat she qualifies for as a bonus feat. This ability replaces metakinesis. Live Dangerously (Su) At 7th level, a gambler learns to absorb energy and make it her own. Whenever she makes a successful saving throw against an effect that deals damage of her active energy type, she takes no damage and gains the amount of burn she can normally accept in a round (3 at 6th level, 4 at 9th level, etc). If this would increase her burn past her maximum total amount, then it instead increases it to her maximum. At 15th level, the gambler chooses cold, electricity, fire, or sonic. She can always use this ability against damage of that energy type, even if it is not currently her active energy type. This ability replaces expanded element. Metapsionic Master (Ex) At 19th level, a gambler chooses a single metapsionic feat she possesses. When she uses that metapsionic feat, she reduces the amount of additional power points it costs by 2 (to a minimum of 0). This ability replaces metakinetic master. All-In (Su) At 20th level, a gambler can put her very soul on the line, betting it all for a chance at glory. Once per day as a free action, a gambler can unleash her full potential in a barely-controlled cascade of psionic power. For one minute, she may accept burn that places her total over her normal maximum, and there is no limit to the amount of burn she can accept each round. In addition, she gains burn equal to the normal maximum amount of burn she can possess (3 + her Constitution modifier) at the start of each of her turns. During the duration of this ability, the gambler can take an additional swift action on each of her turns. However, she can only make a given wager once in a round, and can only convert burn up to her normal maximum amount of burn into power points each time she uses her cash out ability. When this minute is up, the gambler immediately suffers a backlash as if she had rolled a natural 1 with an attack, then her current burn drops to 0. If she dies from this backlash, her soul annihilates itself in the cascade of elemental energy, and the gambler cannot be brought back to life except by a wish, miracle, true resurrection, or similar effect. This ability replaces omnikinesis. Category:Source: Psionics Augmented: Occult Category:Kineticist archetypes